


mysteries

by fireemblemandboba



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Canon Backstory, Dancing, F/M, Fire Emblem: Awakening Spoilers, Fluff and a little Angst, Identity Issues, Loosely based off Revelations, Slow Burn, written in two hours
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 20:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8071591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireemblemandboba/pseuds/fireemblemandboba
Summary: Azura and Laslow both have dark stories that shroud them in enigma, yet they fall in love over dancing, fighting, and everything war has offered them.ortwo broken people find that they have much more in common than they ever knew. a storyof two pasts and two people who have endured much more than surface level gives them justice.orauthor was bored and wrote something in two hours





	

**Author's Note:**

> un-betaed so forgive me if I have any mistakes

He was a mystery.

 

He was the talk of the court, the gossip of the servant girls, the subject of the King's advisors’ whispers. A young man with a shy smile and gray hair, with an unparalleled skill with the blade. A young man who had beat out every competitor to become a retainer to Xander. A young man who seemingly came from... nowhere. A young man without a past.

 

 _Laslow_ , Inigo had tried to repeat to himself. _Laslow, Laslow_ . _That's your name now._

 

_Who's Inigo?_

 

Inigo was an allusion to his past, a shadow of his memories. Inigo was the young boy who lost his parents and traveled time to prevent it in another future. Inigo was the young boy who failed to protect the ones he loved. Inigo was the one who cried himself to sleep every night. Inigo was a mercenary.

 

Inigo was not Laslow.

 

Laslow was his new alias, a nod to his future, an embrace for his new mission. Laslow was the one who was strong, who could smile like there was nothing wrong with his world. Laslow was the one who could pretend to be alright instead of burdening others with his problems. Laslow was a Hero.

 

Laslow was not Inigo.

 

Except there was one thing that bound his two identities.

 

Inigo still loved to dance.

 

Laslow still loved to dance.

...

  


Nobody is watching him as he checks the clearing out of habit, just once more. Satisfied, he breathes out a sigh of relief he didn't even know he was holding. He can finally dance without holding back.

 

He adjusts his posture, spine straight. Closing his eyes, he remembers the song that his mother always used to sing to him, The Swan Princess. He sways to the tune inside his head, and then he begins.

 

He opens his eyes, a fiery boldness burning in his dark brown irises as he raises his arms in swift, pronounced motions and swirls his hands. He's not the shy flirt now. He makes fluid twirls and marked leaps passionately, a wild grin adorning his face.

 

“ _Lift your head, yes! That's the way!”_

 

Every movement he makes is accentuated. His feet are moving to the beat of his heart, every striking step a dazzling show. He isn't even sure of his exact choreography, his body is just moving, gliding over wet grass. He feels like he's floating, nothing can stop him from dancing until-

 

A twig snaps. Laslow freezes in place, arms still extended and feet still spread. Blue hair emerges from the bushes and his heart sinks as his gray irises lock into a certain Songstress's. Golden eyes stare back.

 

A blush colors his cheeks as he backs away. _No. This wasn't supposed to happen. I thought I was alone_.

 

The singer keeps on staring, waiting for more. When he doesn’t yield, she offers him a small smile.

 

“Amazing,” she murmurs, “You were lovely. I could watch you for hours.”

 

He musters a smile, his body finally beginning to work, as he thanks her for her kind words since coming from her, it was high praise. Yet he feels distraught inside. He’s betrayed himself, he’s betrayed his secret routine.

 

He flirts with her to get his mind off what he had just done, but she turns him down. After parting, Laslow turns tail and runs, embarrassment flooding him. He can't believe it. He was finally able to practice alone, and then it turns out that he was being watched.

 

He's still scared of dancing in front of others. He's still Inigo.

 

Just because he wants to forget everything for a moment doesn't mean he will.

...

She was a mystery.

 

 _She was a princess of an Invisible Kingdom, Valla_ , her mother had said, _a place nobody knew of. A place you should not speak of_. No one except her mother knew her true bloodline.

She never knew her father.

She was Aqua. Aqua, the young, timid, and reserved girl who clung to her mother. Aqua, who rarely smiled, who rarely laughed, her mouth often curved in a frown. Aqua, the invisible princess.

 

When she was brought to the Nohrian castle to King Garon, nobody knew that she was royalty. Nobody knew who she or her mother was, except that her mother was offering herself as a concubine and the girl was her child.

 

She became Azura.

 

After being sheltered by the Nohrians for a good part of her childhood, her only tie to her bloodline and the only person she truly loved and trusted, Arete, her mother, died. The only possession her mother left behind was a golden pendant with a crystal set in it.

 

“Take it,” she had whispered, “for this gives you the power to help rejuvenate allies...use it wisely, Azura...remember how much I love you…”

She tries to remember this, she tries so hard, yet she held the crystal in her hands and weeps. Gone were the days of dancing in the rain with her mother's watchful smile and gentle critique, gone were the days of singing lessons and gleeful applause after, gone were the days of watching her mother's eyes, mother's _crystal_ blue eyes.

She was then traded to Hoshido, sheltered by Queen Mikoto, who treated her as her own. Everything seemed alright. She was a quiet girl, speaking only when necessary. She got along well with Sakura and Hinoka, the Queen's daughters. She especially liked to practice singing during the middle of the night, when nobody was awake to judge her or hear her.

 

But still, she wondered.

 

 _Azura. You are Azura_.

 

Yet who was Azura? Was she just a singer with powers, specifically the power to revive others with song? Was she just a captured princess of Nohr? Or was she entirely something else? Yet frankly, she wasn't sure if she even knew herself.

 

She sits down, a migraine overtaking her. She doesn't know.

 

She won't ever know.

 

...

 

His dance is enrapturing. Her breath hitches as she watches him. Another twirl, more graceful leaps. Fluid movements. Fancy footwork. Elegant turns.

 

His dance has emotion, his dance has a repetitive theme displayed through each of his pronounced moves. His dancing emits sadness. She can't help but want to find out why.

 

She's not even supposed to be here, she was just passing by,

 

But she might have just fallen under a certain enigmatic Hero's spell...

 

He has light dove gray hair, and brown eyes. His smile is forlorn, a wistful gaze in his eyes as he spins. Azura never saw others dance as well as he. Light on his feet, light in the air. He is still a little rough, but he held tremendous potential.

 

 _Mother would have loved to see this_.

 

Laslow smiles, continuing to dance. She can't help but wish that she could dance alongside him, to practice and to enjoy the company of a fellow dancer. Yet she shouldn't. She should return back to her room- after all, it is past 1:30 AM.

 

She rises, but her dress rustles a little twig and she immediately freezes. Laslow stops, and like a deer in headlights, he stares.

 

Unlike herself, she stares right back. She compliments him. He blushes, taken aback, and tries to change the subject by asking her out for tea.

 

“No,” she simply replies, “not at this hour.” A deep blush settles in when he realizes what he has just asked her.

 

It was normal for him to ask out girls immediately, a reflex for him. Azura couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. There must have been so many girls he has hit on. She would be no exception. He surely had no ill intent, but she is rather tired.

 

“Good night,” she says quietly, and he stammers something before he departs, quick paces taking him out of the clearing.

 

Then he runs.

 

Unlike herself, so does she.

...

 

Her quick steps and graceful poise entrance her watcher, her passion displayed through her bold lyrics and shining golden eyes. Her long powder blue hair frames her face nicely as she lifts her hands to the sky. And then, her pendant glows, the strength of the song transferring to her recipient. With a practiced smile, she bows and looks for the next she must sing for.

 

Steel meets silver as Laslow stumbles backwards, caught off guard by a Ruffian Spear Master. _Damn._ The Spear Master has the weapon advantage. The curved blade is aimed right at his heart as it plunges toward him.

 

He is immobilized for these milliseconds, frozen in time.

 

_I still want to go home…_

 

 _I can't die here_ …

 

Yet before the Lance pierces his chest, a blue flash jumps in front of him and negates the blow. He automatically responds, his feet beginning to move as he slices his sword through the Ruffian's abdomen. The soldier howls and falls to the dirt floor. 

 

“ _Azura?_ ” He whispers, but she's gone, and he spots her across the field, dancing for Selena.

 

A full spin, hands high, spine straight, as if she's reaching for the clouds. A smile, quarter-turn clockwise, three steps backward, two steps right, four steps forward executed effortlessly- her dance was the epitome of beauty. It's like she is gliding on air. 

 

He takes note of how she dances ( _why does she remind him so much of Mother?_ ), and then he rejoins the fray, sword brandished, heart pounding, remembering everything about the past he had come from, and the future he had to fight for.

…

She feels a gentle tap on her shoulder and she spins around, almost bumping into-

 

-Laslow?

 

Steel gray hair, shining eyes. She feels her shoulders straighten in anticipation. _He's really cute…_ she thinks before he clears his throat, cutting off her thoughts.

 

“Thank you,” he says. “You saved my life. I owe you an eternal debt. Please, if you ever need something, let me know. I can never repay you.” Soft blush and grateful smile. She feels her heartbeat accelerate as he patiently stands there, humbled- a side much different than the flirtatious and outgoing demeanor he always displayed.

 

She smiles softly, a quiet yet clear voice with a hint of nervousness. She knows exactly what she wants, and so she asks, “Then… will you dance for me?” 

 

Ever since she's seen him dance, it's been on her mind quite often. She's wondered how that routine ended, imagining the rhythm of his steps and the grace of his leaps. Mother had a similar routine, but the style varied. Still, she holds fast to what she asked, studying him.

 

Laslow blushes, but he immediately regains his composure. “Of course, milady," he replies.

 

"On one condition... may I ask that you dance _with_ me?”

 

Her beam is all he needs to see before he takes her hands and melts into her arms, swaying back and forth, their feet moving in perfect synchronization.

…

Corrin rearranges the pillows of her bed, tucking in the covers and tidying the sheets. Azura hums, tapping her foot listlessly as she thinks of her favorite song. “There,” Corrin says finally, bouncing happily on the neatly made bed. Azura sits by her, a quiet giggle escaping her lips as Corrin continues to bounce the mattress.

 

“I can't believe Selena got with Subaki. I was not expecting that,” Corrin giggles.

 

“They are kinda cute,” Azura comments. Yet her head isn't really into the conversation. She's occupied with other thoughts.

 

“Oh, speaking of it, I heard some juicy gossip about Odin, Selena, and Laslow the other day. Wanna hear?” Corrin remarks offhandedly as she lays back against the pillows.

 

Azura feels a flutter in her chest when she hears the dancer's name. She can still feel his arms around her shoulders and the way his hips brushed against her when they danced.

 

“Sure,” she says.

 

“They're not from Nohr!” Corrin bursts out excitedly. “I can't believe it! I wonder where they're from.”

 

_Not from Nohr…? We have so much in common..._

 

“And,” Azura says before she can prevent herself, “neither am I.”

 

Red irises lock into golden. “What?” Corrin asks, leaning forward. “Aren't you from Nohr?”

 

“No that's not what I meant,” Azura says immediately. “I just meant that it feels like I'm from Hoshido. That's where I remember most of my childhood growing up.”

 

(it's a lie, but hasn't most things about her been?)

 

“OK,” Corrin says, nodding slowly. “Hey, did you hear about Xander and Charlotte? They're dating…”

 

Azura nods, but all she can think of is gray hair and brown eyes.

...

She misses her. She misses her so much.

So when they killed the puppet of her mother, she can't help but break down.

 

( _Tears blur her vision and she can't see,_

_She's drowning in an ocean of her own thoughts,_

 

 _And she can't breathe_.)

 

 _Mother, how are you doing?_ she wonders. _I wish my last memory didn't have to be of you fading away..._

With a final sob, she realizes she couldn't change her past. Yet she could change her future.

...

“Who taught you how to dance?” Azura asks him one day when she accompanies him dancing. Laslow is comfortable with the songstress now, finding her as a way to improve and a way to practice constructively. It also didn't hurt that she was really pretty.

 

“My mother,” Laslow replies, remembering Ylisse. It's a dreary, dark memory, he can only remember screaming and dragons and glowing red eyes. Yet the flashback passes and he sighs. “She was everything to me.”

 Olivia was a beautiful lady, a shy and passive personality, but when she danced, she became alive. Gone was the shyness, it was replaced with boldness and audacity. Gone was the passiveness, the only thing one could see was an assertive spirit in her leaps and twirls.

“Was?” Azura echoes, then she stops herself.

“Yeah,” Laslow replies shortly. He misses her. He really misses her.

There is a long pause before the blue haired princess speaks.

 

“Well, Laslow,” Azura says, “I think… we have a lot in common.”

 

“You mean…” Laslow says in disbelief. His eyes widen. “Did... your mother teach you to dance too?”

“And she's gone,” Azura says softly. And he remembers. He remembers the blue-haired lady they were forced to defeat. She looks into his eyes, and then in one beautiful yet sorrowful moment, they break down in each other's arms, each tear shed for every moment lost.

...

She takes a blow for him one day.

 

“Why?” Laslow asks her. It's almost a plead, a beg, a question asking for her to put herself first. It's an unfamiliar feeling- when had she ever been placed first and foremost? She's been the middle child in an adoptive family, why was she important?

 

“I care for you,” she says simply as she applies salve to her wound. A soothing relief eases the pain as she relaxed. It wasn't too deep, barely a scratch, but Laslow thinks otherwise.

 

“Don't ever do that again,” he says, breath labored as he watches her carefully (like her mother, almost). “I can't think of a life without you.” His cheeks burn bright red and she stares.

 

“I'm not sure what you mean,” she mumbles, looking into brown, brown eyes. Yet she innately thinks that maybe, _maybe_...

 

“Maybe,” he whispers, filling in her thoughts, “I love you.”

 

Azura takes his hand and smiles. “And maybe,” she says, a small surge of boldness coursing through her, “I love you back.”

...

They’re both mysteries.

 

And as Laslow looks into her golden eyes, illuminated only by a sky with stars meticulously threaded into midnight, he decides he's okay with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this please kudos/comment, which is going to be pretty rare considering it's a rare pair and everyone would rather go for a Xander x Kamui one. yet I wanted to go against the normal and post something different :) let me know if anyone actually enjoyed this


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